FNUS75 KGJT 240438
FWSGJT

SPOT FORECAST FOR RATHOLE...BLM/VERNAL
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
1038 PM MDT SUN AUG 23 2009

FORECAST IS BASED ON REQUEST TIME OF 2001 MDT ON AUGUST 23.
IF CONDITIONS BECOME UNREPRESENTATIVE...CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE.

.DISCUSSION...DRIER AIR ALOFT PUSHED OVER THE BURN AREA SUNDAY
AFTERNOON AND REDUCED THE COVERAGE OF THUNDERSTORMS. A SMALL
DISTURBANCE IN THE FLOW WILL BRING SOME CLOUDS THIS MORNING...BUT THE
MAIN MOISTURE PLUME WILL REMAIN SOUTHEAST OF THE FIRE.
STILL...ENOUGH MOISTURE WILL BE PRESENT FOR AFTERNOON HEATING AND
INSTABILITY TO GENERATE SOME STORMS. GUSTY OUTFLOW WINDS WILL BE A
CONCERN FROM THUNDERSTORMS. LITTLE CHANGE IN TEMPERATURE IS
EXPECTED.

.TODAY (MONDAY)...

SKY/WEATHER.........PARTLY CLOUDY (50-60%) UNTIL 1300...THEN BECOMING
                    MOSTLY CLOUDY (70-80%). ISOLATED SHOWER UNTIL 1000.
                    WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
                    DEVELOPING AFTER 1300.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....70-75 F.
MIN HUMIDITY........30-35%.
20-FOOT WINDS.......DOWNSLOPE/DOWNVALLEY 5 MPH UNTIL 1000...THEN
                    SHIFTING TO THE SOUTH 8-13 MPH BY 1200 WITH
                    OCCASIONAL GUSTS TO AROUND 20 MPH IN THE
                    AFTERNOON. GUSTY AND ERRATIC WINDS EXPECTED NEAR
                    THUNDERSTORMS.
CLEARING INDEX......1000+ AFTER 1200.
HAINES INDEX........4 LOW.
LAL.................1 UNTIL 1300...THEN BECOMING 3.

.TONIGHT (MONDAY NIGHT)...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY CLOUDY (70-80%) UNTIL 2000...THEN BECOMING
                    PARTLY CLOUDY (50-60%). WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS
                    THUNDERSTORMS UNTIL 2000...THEN ISOLATED
                    SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS UNTIL 2400.
MIN TEMPERATURE.....47-52 F.
MAX HUMIDITY........56-61%.
20-FOOT WINDS.......SOUTH 8-12 MPH SHIFTING TO THE SOUTHEAST 5
                    MPH AFTER 2100. GUSTY AND ERRATIC WINDS
                    EXPECTED NEAR THUNDERSTORMS.
CLEARING INDEX......600 DECREASING TO 50 IN THE LATE EVENING AND
                    OVERNIGHT.
HAINES INDEX........4 LOW.
LAL.................3 UNTIL 2000...THEN 2 UNTIL 2400...THEN 1.

$$
FORECASTER...JIM DANIELS
REQUESTED BY...MATT HUNDT
TYPE OF REQUEST...WILDFIRE
.TAG 20090823.RATHO.01/GJT